Compare towns
Benton vs Cornish vs Levant
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Levant has the highest household income ($86k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Benton | Cornish | Levant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,770 |
1,803Lowest |
3,069Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
| Benton and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Benton and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$69,038±$4k 8% below ME |
$86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
| Levant and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
| Cornish and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123Lowest about the ME average |
$1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
| Levant and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,309 24% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Cornish and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 133 in ME | — | #124 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.